MY2005 Range Rover i-Pod Connection

I have looked at various threads and not found the definitive answer to this conundrum:
The Clarion CD changer in our MY2005 (Touch Screen, Harmon Kardon) Rangie has gone 'kaputt' – I realise I can possibly send the CD Changer to Clarion to be repaired, but I would prefer to install a direct i-Pod connection (currently using a Belkin i-Pod/FM transmitter tuned to the radio, but it does not provide good sound quality and a retune is often required).
I have spoken with a UK Dension (which seem to be the best connection option) installer, who informed me that since 2010, Armour Auto made a deal to be the sole UK distributor of Dension products. However, Armour Auto must honour its “arrangement” with LR, so they cannot supply kits for any Land Rover to UK installers of Dension products - Furthermore, Armour Auto told the installer that they cannot even obtain the required Dension part numbers for me. The LR dealer (Hartwells Northampton) I have spoken with say they do not have any knowledge of such kits in the LR Dealer pipeline and do not stock any such products since the demise (last year?) of the LR sourced kits (which were for MY2008+ fit only).
So, it would appear to be impossible to directly obtain UK Dension installation for Range Rover fitment, unless someone out there knows otherwise? I am currently in Germany, so I might try here if I can discover the correct Dension kit to have installed, as a German installer might have direct access to required Dension parts, but most are not familiar with Land Rover vehicles.
Alternatively, has anyone done their own successful i-Pod connection installation on a MY2005 Rangie? I have downloaded Land Rover TOPIx CD Changer fitment/removal instructions and I am happy to ‘have a go’ if I can get a recommended connection kit/approach.
I don’t want to make an expensive mistake and get the wrong kit, so “thanks in advance” to anyone that can advise….
Steve

I have a 2002 range rover HSE with the standard head unit with seperate amp in the boot and the cd changer.

I wanted my iphone to play through the car - there are not alot of options for this so being a sparks by trade i decided to give it a go myself.

theres a plug that comes from the cd changer to the head unit, it should have 3 cables on it - i just spliced these cables into a 3.5mm jack plug, turn the head unit to cd changer and he-presto my ipod plays through my range rover stereo and it sounds the dogs !

and it didnt cost me a penny to do !

Thanks Buddy - I am going to go ahead and start taking the CD Changer out and see what's back there to connect into. If I get a bit lost, I will come back to you for more advice!

Steve RR said:

Thanks Buddy - I am going to go ahead and start taking the CD Changer out and see what's back there to connect into. If I get a bit lost, I will come back to you for more advice!

Click to expand...

you dont need to remove the cd changer - i spliced into the cable from the cd changer as it plugs into the main stereo into the dash - easier than removing the cd changer -

you say your cd changer is totally buggered ?

as to get the ipod to play you have to have a cd playing in the cd changer for the pod to play through the stereo...

you may have to short a couple of more cables from the cd changer to trick the head unit into thinking its playing a cd so it plays your ipod.

Thanks - I am sending the CD Changer to Clarion's UK repair centre, as my unit does not respond anymore (not even ejecting the CD cartridge, let alone play a CD).

I have been reading that the 'discontinued' LR/Dension RR i-Pod kit (LR Part No. LR004806) can work in a MY2005 RR even though the kit was tagged for MY2008 RR onwards - This kit's approach keeps the CD Changer function with a manual 'switch' to i-Pod I believe/hope, but might not put the i-Pod track info etc. up on the dash screen in a MY2005 application. So I am trying to source the required kit now - But not a cheap route that's for sure, assuming stock is still available.

Failing that, I might try your approach, but I am not good at 'splicing!'

If/when the job is complete, I'll post how it (successfully) turned out.

Steve

All went with the Audio Connectivity Module kit fitment and the results are great – The MY2005 RR CD Changer has optical connections, so simple ‘splicing’ was not really an option in this case.

I have been following VPLME0004/LR004806 “Audio Connectivity Module (ACM)” and VUB502620-318 “CD Autochanger” instructions available for printing from LR’s TOPIx site (TOPIx - TOPIx).

The main difference between the ACM fitment illustrated in the instructions (MY2008+) and the MY2005 (Touch Screen) fitment, is that the Head Unit is illustrated in the instructions as being behind the glove box (below the fuse box). In MY2005 (Touch Screen), the Head Unit is actually located below the Dash Upper Cover, behind the central Touch Screen itself. Therefore, a lot more removal work is required to access the Head Unit, including two deeply (approx. 120mm) recessed T20 screws holding the Touch Screen frame. But it is do-able with care - I found a useful ‘YouTube’ video for top dash removal etc. The ACM kit cable lengths are sufficient for this alternative Head Unit location and all the connectors remain compatible with the kit.

I chose to mount all the ACM kit units so they are accessible in the cubby hole (below the CD Changer) at the back of the MY2005 glove box when it is in-situ. This means the Dension unit i-Pod lead can easily be updated if required by just unplugging it and fitting an updated cable, eg. for charging a 3G i-Phone, as I believe the cable provided can only cope with charging at the i-Pod classic level. The instructions show the Dension unit mounted within the dash itself, behind the glove box and hence not immediately accessible once the glove box itself is refitted.

The functionality availability is surprisingly good - The dash/ steering wheel control with the i-Pod running, is “volume” and “track forward/back”. The Touch Screen display of i-Pod Playlist information is the 6 CD Disc boxes, all marked MP3 (so a guess as to which Playlist is which), but this is the functionality given in the ACM Handbook for any RR model year fitment. So Playlists can be changed via the Touch Screen (which was more than I expected) and “track/artist” info is given on the Touch Screen. Only the Touch Screen “track forward/back” is non-functioning. Volume also reduce automatically still for Sat Nav/Phone interruptions.

The i-Pod sound quality is superb through the full Harmon Kardon amplification and speakers, so well worth the effort. The kit also provides connection options for other media sources via USB/Audio connectors in the glove box.

So, not a cheap route (the LR004806 kit cost 327 GBP incl. VAT, excl. shipping from Shop4Landrover), but can work in a MY2005 (Touch Screen), so I am happy. This kit is discontinued, so stocks are likely to be running out if anyone else plans the same approach. I am not sure of the difference between the LR004806 kit (tagged as MY2008+) and the later VPLME004 kit (Tagged MY2009+, also discontinued I am told). The latter is more expensive (450 GBP incl. VAT) to buy, but I believe includes LR004806 plus more updated ‘bits(?)’ and could still presumably do the job in a MY2005 (Touch Screen) if that is the only kit available.

I am now sending the CD Changer off to be fixed – Without the CD Changer unit connected the whole audio and Sat Nav system still works. So hopefully, it will be a speedy turnaround by Clarion Repair Services.

Cheers

Steve